The pagan tribes of Borneo - Get a Free Blog Here

HISTORY OF BORNEO 17
his son Hiawang to succeed to the throne of Puni.
Having induced the emperor to stop the yearly-
tribute of forty katties of camphor paid by Puni to
Java, and having agreed to send tribute to China
every three years, Hiawang returned home to take
up the reins of government. Between 14 10 and
1425 he paid tribute six times, besides revisiting the
Chinese Court ; but afterwards little Puni seems to
have again ignored her powerful suzerain.
It is probable that the Chinese colony in North
Borneo which gave its name to the lofty mountain
KinaBalu(Chinesewidow)andtotheKina Batangan,
the chief river which flows from it, was founded
about this time. Several old writers seem to refer
to this event, and local traditions of the settlement
still survive. The Brunis and Idaans (a people in
the north not unlike the Bisayas) have legends
differing in detail to the effect that the Chinese
came to seize the great jewel of the Kina Balu
dragon, but afterwards quarrelled about the booty
and separated, some remaining behind. The Idaans
consider themselves the descendants of these settlers,
but that can only be true in a very limited sense.
Both country and people, however, show traces of
Chinese influence.
There is good evidence that the Chinese influence
and immigration were not confined to Bruni and the
northern end of the island. In south-west Borneo
there are traces of very extensive washings of
alluvial gravels for gold and diamonds. These
operations were being conducted by Chinese when
Europeans first came to the country ; and the
extent of the old workings implies that they had
been continued through many centuries. Hindu-
Javan influence also was not confined to the court
of Bruni, for in many parts of the southern half
of Borneo traces of it survive in the custom of
burning the dead, in low relief carvings of bulls
VOL. I c